In Acts 15 after they've had this big run in with Paul and Barnabas, that Paul and Barnabas could not be preaching redemption or salvation to the Gentiles without adhering to circumcision and Law keeping, they finally are convinced that yes, Paul's on the right track, and so James makes this tremendous statement in response to Peters.
Acts 15:14-16
"Simeon (Peter) hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them (the Gentiles) a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this (after the calling out a Gentile people, that's us today which is in accord with 2 Corinthians 6 and this leads me to share again what St. John of the Cross says in chapter 22 of book three as contained in "The Ascent of Mt. Carmel" on pages 300-301 shortly) I (God) will return and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:" This just fits so nicely in Psalm 2 verses 11 and 12. Now in verse 17 to back up what I'm saying -
Acts 15:17-18
"That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, (the first word here of interest is the word “residue” and we'll look at it shortly, but this had never been revealed before. But now even James has a little bit of insight that since Paul's Gospel has been revealed, and it's primarily for the Gentile world then yes, God is going to call out a people for His name. And it's going to be primarily the Gentiles who are going to hear it) upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world."
Now what does that tell us? The Sovereign God is in control of everything, and nothing catches Him by surprise. Now for the word “residue” Webster's Dictionary of 1828 says: “That which remains after a part is taken, separated, removed or designated.” In verse 14 above ours is revealed that God did first visit the Gentiles to take from them a people unto His name. Now in this dispensation of Grace there is a residue taken from among men or called out, maybe a better phrase. Because they are the ones who seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. They are also the ones who yield to the Lords yoke which they willingly take as their own to learn of Him. They are the ones who hear the voice and Will of God and surrender to Him of their own free-will, their flesh life, will, minds and emotions unto death, on Christ's alter, the cross and to God's Will. They by so doing are joined to Jesus through the Last Supper and on through His ascension by accepting His cup and thereby are con-joined to Him in baptism by the Holy Spirit. They then are the people upon whom His name is conferred as heirs.
Now we'll look at St. John of the Cross's statement, which is based upon John's Revelation as contained in the 17th chapter which reads thusly:
Revelation 17:1-6
"There came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration."
Here then starts our quote and keep this in mind that all humanity is created a receptive being and are therefore creatures of habit or pattern and design and by nature reflect the beast or the spirit of evil or Holy Spirit goodness which sways them most:
"Returning now to speak of that second evil, which contains within itself innumerable other evils, it is impossible to describe with the pen or to express in words the lengths to which it can go, but this is not unknown or secret, nor is the extent of the misery that arises from the setting of our rejoicing on natural beauty and graces. For every day we hear of its causing numerous deaths, the loss by many of their honour, the commission of many insults, the dissipation of much wealth, numerous cases of emulation and strife, of adultery, rape and fornication, and of the fall of many holy men, comparable in number to that third part of the stars of Heaven which was swept down by the tail of the serpent on earth.(Rev.12:4) The fine gold has lost its brilliance and lustre and is become mire; and the notable and noble men of Sion, who were clothed in finest gold, are counted as earthen pitchers that are broken and have become potsherds.(Lam. 4:1-2) How far does the poison of this evil not penetrate?
And who drinks not, either little or much, from this golden chalice of the Babylonian woman of the Apocalypse?(Rev. 17:3-4) She seats herself on that great beast, that had seven heads and ten crowns, signifying that there is scarce any man, whether high or low, saint or sinner, who comes not to drink of her wine, to some extent enslaving his heart thereby, for, as is said of her in that place, all the kings of the earth have become drunken with the wine of her prostitution. And she seizes upon all estates of men, even upon the highest and noblest estate — the service of the sanctuary and the Divine priesthood — setting her abominable cup, as Daniel says, in the holy place,(Dan. 4:27 and remember that Daniel is speaking of Israelnad the Temple with its religious ceremonies, customs and traditions of man's design only) and leaving scarcely a single strong man without making him to drink, either little or much, from the wine of this chalice, which is vain rejoicing. For this reason it is said that all the kings of the earth have become drunken with this wine, for very few will be found, however holy they may have been, that have not been to some extent stupefied and bewildered by this draught of the joy and pleasure of natural graces and beauty.
This phrase ‘have become drunken’ should be noted. For, however little a man may drink of the wine of this rejoicing, it at once takes hold upon the heart, and stupefies it and works the evil of darkening the reason, as does wine to those who have been corrupted by it. So that, if some antidote be not at once taken against this poison, whereby it may be quickly expelled, the life of the soul is endangered. Its spiritual weakness will increase, bringing it to such a pass that it will be like Samson, when his eyes were put out and the hair of his first strength was cut off, and like Samson it will see itself grinding in the mills, a captive among its enemies;(Judges 14) and afterwards, peradventure, it will die the second death among its enemies, even as did he, since the drinking of this rejoicing will produce in them spiritually all those evils that were produced in him physically, and does in fact produce them in many persons to this day. Let his enemies come and say to him afterwards, to his great confusion: Art thou he that broke the knotted cords, that tore asunder the lions, slew the thousand Philistines, broke down the gates and freed himself from all his enemies?
Let us conclude, then, by giving the instruction necessary to counteract this poison. And let it be this: As soon as thy heart feels moved by this vain joy in the good things of nature, let it remember how vain a thing it is to rejoice in aught save the service of God, how perilous and how pernicious. Let it consider how great an evil it was for the angels to rejoice and take pleasure in their natural endowments and beauty, since it was this that plunged them into the depths of shame.[It was through this that they fell into the vile abysses] Let them think, too, how many evils come to men daily through this same vanity, and let them therefore resolve in good time to employ the remedy which the poet commends to those who begin to grow affectioned to such things. ‘Make haste now,’ he says, ‘and use the remedy at the beginning; for when evil things have had time to grow in the heart, remedy and medicine come late.’ Look not upon the wine, as the Wise Man says, when its color is red and when it shines in the glass; it enters pleasantly and bites like a viper and sheds abroad poison like a basilisk.(Proverbs 23:31-32)"
Now we'll continue on in our course of study:
Ephesians 1:10
"That is the dispensation of the fulness of times (referring to the 1000 year reign of Christ or this may have a double meaning as the Lord is currently gathering during the enigma of the interim) he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, (the heavenly things those who have been taken there by Him when He closed out Abraham's bosom for the word things is in reference to man) and which are on earth; (the earthly) even in him:"
We can be turning to Galatians chapter 1, and while you do that we want to remind you that all the way up through the Old Testament dealing with the Nation of Israel under the Abrahamic Covenant, including Christ's earthly ministry, including the early chapters of Acts, all of that is God dealing with His earthly people, Israel. Remember, Israel had nothing but earthly promises. The Hebrews knew nothing of dying and going to Heaven, all the Hebrew understood, as Job puts it so beautifully back there in chapter 19-
Job 19:25-26
"For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: (Job didn't say, "I'll see Him in Heaven) And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God;"
So all the promises given to Israel were earthly, and never lose sight of that. Their Temple was in Jerusalem, it was earthly. And when we get to the Epistle of Hebrews which Paul wrote or dictated, and we find him constantly comparing there that which was good back in the past when God resided in the Temple, in the Shekinah glory, it's all earthly. Today in our Church Age we are not connected to a Temple on the earth, but rather we're connected to the Heavenliest or the Zion of God and the Jerusalem, which is in Heaven. Which is found in Christ and His ontological essence within us as we are living stones of His spiritual temple. All are veiled as a bride is covered by her wedding veil.
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